Smartphone app. reduces hopsital stay after caesarean

A mobile phone app claims to improve the caesarean birth experience, reducing the average time a woman will stay in hospital after surgery from3.7 to 2.7 days.

The mobile phone app, trialled in the US by Dr Attila Kett at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, found that using it for a period of weeks before and after surgery reduced the duration of women’s hospital stay. And early results suggest it may also positively impact upon “surgical site infections, urinary tract infections and patient satisfaction”. The study is ongoing.

“The app empowers women by putting them in control of their health care needs,” said Dr. Kett. By offering prompts about appointments, providing pre-surgery information to their palm and prompts about timely medication post operatively it is thought users feel more confident in the process and more likely to monitor their condition effectively.